48 NOMENCLATURE OF THE STEM. 



and common clover j declined, as in the fig-tree ; or incurvated, as 

 in the common bramble. 



c. Supported when they are supported or propped up, as it were, 

 by a number of other stems that surround it, which incline towards 

 each other at their summits, until they seem ingrafted into the base of 

 the stem which they support, as in the mangrove. 



d. Climbing when they are too delicate to support themselves, 

 and consequently requiring some perpendicular body to enable them 

 to elevate their foliage and fructification into the air. Climbing 

 stems are either twining, or growing from left to right, as in wood- 

 bine and the hop, or from right to left, as in the scarlet bean and 

 great bind-weed ; radicating, or sending out roots, as in the ivy and 

 ash-leaved trumpet-flower ; or climbing, as in the grape-vine, purple 

 virgin's -bower, bitter-sweet, and all the species of passion-flower. 



e. Decumbent when they rise a little upright at their base, but 

 have their upper portion bent down towards the ground, so that tbe 

 greater part is procumbent. 



f. Procumbent when they are too weak to support themselves, 

 and lie on the ground. Procumbent stems are either creeping, as in 

 the lesser periwinkle and ground ivy ; or floating, as in the floating 

 club -rush. 



5. Duration: According to the duration, or time 

 which stems live, they are scientifically denominated 

 annuals, biennials, or perennials. 



The meaning attached to these terms have already received an 

 attentive consideration; the student is therefore referred to what has 

 been said concerning the duration of plants. 



6. Substance: From the substance of stems they solve 

 themselves into two kinds : those which are woody, and 

 those which are herbaceous. 



a. Woody those in which wood forms, comparatively, the greater 

 part of their bulk. Woody stems are either solid, as in the oak ; or 

 fibrous, as in the cocoa-nut tree. 



b. Herbaceous those which contain a small portion of wood, but 

 are composed chiefly of cellular substance. Herbaceous stems are 



